Pile-puller



C. 8. BOARDMAN.

PILE PUL'LER. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8, 19]].

1,376,85 Patented May 3,1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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UNITE ATENT CHARLES S. 'BOARDMAN, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO LACKAWANNA STEEL COMPANY, OF LAGKAWANNA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F.NEW

YORK.

rrLn-rULLER.

Specification of Letters Patent. .Patented May 3, 1921,

Application filed. October 3, 1917. Serial No. 194,603.

To all whom it may concern:

Thisinvention relates to a gripping de-' I vice for pile pullers of the type particuyoke.

larly adapted for gripping steel sheet piling I and consists of an improved and simplified construction and arrangement designed es pecially to possess great strength with the minimum weight and size. The yoke to receive the pulling stresses is designed to re sist, or is strong enough to react against, the gripping stresses, when the gripping jaws are thrown into contact and pulling stresses are applied. Also as pulling stresses are increased gripping values increase.

Further important features 'of my improved construction will be understood by reference to the drawing herewith wherein I have disclosed an approved form of my invention and wherein the reference numerals of this description are applied to the corresponding parts in the several views. Therein Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof, Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation illustrating a desirable modified structure. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of this modified form and Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof.

The gripping device of my invention as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, consists of a supporting or yoke member 1 adapted to support the gripping parts in the improved manner to be described. This yoke 1 may desirably be of the form shown, designed particularly to adapt it to withstand the severe stresses resulting from the pulling operation, and is supported by a suitable lifting mechanism, for instance alifting crane as customarily employed. For this purpose it is here shown suspended upon links 2-2 carrying a pivot pin 3 fitted to an aperture in the yoke, and having-a nut 4 threaded thereon. At its bottom edge the yoke is provided with an opening 5 having an enlargement at its inner end so as to provide the opposite shoulders 6 and 7 on the Stationary and movable gripping to the lifting force applied.

jaws 8 and 9 are arranged to be supported on the shoulders 6 and 7. As shown the stationary jaw 8 is desirably provided with a coacting shoulder 10 to bearv upon the yoke shoulder 6 and is provided with a threaded bore to receive a securing bolt 11 fitted to an aperture in the yoke. The opposite and movable jaw 9 is formed with a laterally extended shoulder 12 bearing upon a toggle i or cam lever 13 supported on the shoulder 7 of the yoke. The cam lever, as shown, extends outwardly from each side of the yoke member and has fitted thereon the operating levers 1414 secured to the cam lever by 4 set screws 15 and having their outer ends secured by a bolt 16 passed through the arms and through a spacing sleeve 17 and secured by a clamping nut 18. At 19-19 are shown suitable washers fitted on the pin 3 and at 20-20 washers are shown interposed between the lever arms 14 and the yoke.

In my improved construction as disclosed, upon rocking of the levers 14 downwardly the cam lever 13 will be positioned for sep aration of the gripping jaws 8 and 9' to receive between them the web of a piling element, as indicated in dotted lines; this gripping of the pile being accomplished by lowering of the device upon the piling with the I upper end of the piling entering the opening 5 in the yoke and between the gripping jaws. The jaws, as shown, desirably have their lower ends tapered to guide the entry of the pile between them. Upon elevating the operating lever 14 the movable jaw 9 will be brought into engagement with the piling web to effect the clamping of the web between the j aws to obtainafrictional grip thereon and uponelevating of the yoke the cam lever will act upon the movable jaw to increase the gripping pressure proportionate is arranged to overbalance the movable jaw 9 sov that nor-' mally the weight of the handle will rock the toggle arm 13 to retract the grip 9 from gripping contact with the pile. Thus uponlowering of the gripping deviceupon the pile the grip will be released.

As will be seen in mylmproved construction the pressure on the jaws will be transmitted to bear directly upon the yoke member 1 by reason of the jaw 8 being supported upon the shoulder 6 and the cam lever 13'- being supported upon the shoulder 7 in direct' alinement with the stresses transmitted through the jaw 9, whereby the cam lever is subjected to compression strain only. As will be readily appreciated this arrange ment is an important factor in successfully resisting the severe stresses presented in the operation of pulling of piling. V

The gripping device of my present invention by reason of its few partsand compactness is exceptionally light in weight which is desirable in reducing the weight to be lifted. Moreover, the simple arrangement shown, employing but one movable gripping jaw, not only reduces the number of parts and simplifies the manipulation but it also possesses advantages over the plural movable jaw type particularly in the strength and rigidity in the gripping operation.

As will be readily understood, the inner or engaging faces of the gripping jaws may desirably be roughened to increase their frictional hold upon the pilingweb.

Many and varied modifications of my invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof. As exemplified in Figs. 3 to 6 the yoke may be composed of opposite members 1, joined by securing plates 22 bolted to the yoke members. The stationary and movable gripping jaws 8 and 9 and the cam lever 13 as best shown in Fig. 6 are proportioned to be of the same width as the double yoke formed by the two yoke members 1 whereby the stationary jaw 8 will have a rest bearing support upon theshoulders 6 of both yoke members and similarly the cam lever'13 will bear upon the opposite shoulders 7 and the movable jaw 9 will bear upon the cam lever 13 throughout its full width so that the stresses therefrom will be transmitted directly upon the shoulders 7 through compression of the cam lever. In this modified form a single suspending link 2 is employed, as shown, being received between the yoke members 1 and pivotally attached thereto by the pivotal supporting pin 3 fitted in the yoke members. The use of a single operating lever 14 is also shown, the operating lever desirably having threaded connection with the cam lever and operating within the space between the yoke members 1. Means are also shown, acting upon the movable jaw 9, actingthereon normally to retract the jaw from engaging or closed position, forthis purpose retractile springs 24c and 25 being arranged as shown connected both to.

the jaw 9 and to the yoke; the latter connection as shown is made by connecting the springs to bolts 26 spanning the members 1 and carried thereby.

QWhileI have disclosed an approved embodiment of the features of my invention herein it will be understood that I do not ing position.

2. A device of the character described. comprising a supporting member, gripping means carried by the supporting member, said gripping means comprising a movable toggle cam bearing on the supporting member and operative to effect gripping under reacting pressures, and an operating lever connected with the toggle cam and adapted by its weight normally to move the toggle cam into releasing position, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, a supporting yoke member formed with an opening in its lower. portion to receive a pile,'said opening having an enlargement at its inner end to provide opposite bearing shoulders, a stationary gripping jaw arranged to bear upon one of the bearingshoulders, a toggle cam arranged to have bearing support on the opposite shoulder, a coacting gripping jaw carried by the toggle cam, an operating lever connected with the toggle cam and said operating lever being adapted normally by its weight to shift the movable jaw to releasing position. i

4. In a device of the character described,

a supporting yoke member formed with an opening in its lower portion to receive a pile, said opening having an enlargement at its inner end to provide opposite bearing shoulders, a stationary gripping jaw arranged to bear upon one of the bearing shoulders, a toggle cam arranged to have I bearing support on the opposite shoulder, a coacting gripping jaw and a shoulder thereon hearing on the toggle cam in direct alinement with the yoke bearing shoulder to avoid shearing stresses, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described,

a supporting yoke member formed with an opening in its lower portion to receive a pile, said opening having an enlargement at its inner end to provide opposite bearing shoulders, a stationary gripping jaw arranged to bear upon one of the bearing shoulders, a toggle cam arranged to have bearing support on the opposite shoulder, aco-acting gripping jaw, a shoulder thereon bearing on the toggle cam in direct alinement with the yoke bearing shoulder, an opcrating lever connected with the toggle cam and said gripping jaws having their lower inner edge portions beveled to guide the entry of the pile substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, a supporting yoke member formed with an opening in its lower portion to receive there in a plle, said opening having an enlargement at its inner end to provide opposite bearing shoulders, a stationary gripping jaw arranged to bear upon one of the hearing shoulders, a toggle cam arranged to have bearing support on the opposite shoulder, a coacting movable gripping jaw carried by the toggle cam, an operating lever connected with the toggle cam, a pivotal pin carried by the yoke member and a supporting link attached thereto substantially as described.

7 In a device of the character described, a supporting member composed of oppositely arranged yoke members, spacing members connecting said yoke members, a pivotal pin carried thereby, said yoke members being formed with oppositely arranged openings in their lower portions, said openings having enlargements at their inner ends formed to provide bearing shoulders, a

stationary gripping jaw arranged to bear upon the yoke member shoulders at one side, a toggle cam arranged to have bearing support on the opposite yoke shoulder, a coacting movable gripping jaw carried by the toggle cam, an operating lever connected with the toggle cam, said gripping jaws, and toggle cam being of substantially the full width of the supporting member, and retractile springs attached to the movable jaw normally operative to retract the same, substantially as described.

8. A device of the character described, comprising supporting means, a toggle cam bearing upon the supporting means, co-acting gripping jaws, one of said jaws being movably carried by said toggle cam and retractible spring means connected to said movable jaw and operative normally to move said jaw into releasing position.

In testimony whereof I have signedmy name to this specification.

CHARLES S. BOARDMAN.

Witness:

EDWARD W. RITER. 

